Brennan Family Values
by neveragain79
Summary: They had the kid, now what? Sequel to "Nine"
1. Chapter 1

Hello! This is the long awaited (maybe only by me) sequel to my previous fic "Nine", probably best to read it first. It takes place after Brennan asks Booth to father her child but there is no brain tumor & no brain surgery. This is what happens after they have had the baby. This chapter is mostly fluff. Thanks for reading! :)

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"Home sweet home..." Booth announced as he held open the apartment door for his partner and their four-day-old son which she held in her arms.

"You didn't have to drive so slow." Brennan commented seemingly amused.

"Hey, it's been a long time since I've had a newborn in my car, gimme a break, huh?" Booth said. He set his partners overnight bag down by the door then moved to her side and peered down at their sleeping son she held. "Yep, he is still perfect," he said with pride. He looked up to meet his partner's eyes.

"I agree," Brennan said, her eyes twinkling. "Did you see his toes? I've never seen a more perfect hallux."

"Me neither." Booth agreed, even though he had no idea what a hallux was. He was pleased Brennan was as biased as any parent was when it came to their child.

"I guess I should put him in his crib..." she said hesitantly interrupting his thoughts, but she stayed rooted on the spot in the middle of the living room, gazing down at her son.

"You should sleep, when he sleeps...isn't that would the experts say?" Booth knew she had read every baby and child rearing related book she could get her hands on over the course of the last nine months, and he also remembered her spouting information day and night to him every time she learned something new. Apparently some of it had sunk in.

"That's what all the books say, yes, however, I'm not sure I am ready to put him down just yet. Is that strange?" She looked up at him shyly. "I just want to watch him."

"No, it's not strange." Booth assured her, with a soft chuckle. "I want to do the same." He guided her over to the sofa and helped her sit down, not missing the grimace of pain as she settled against the cushions.

"You're in pain." Booth said, as he took a seat beside her.

"A little. My incision..." she trailed off.

"Here let me take him." Booth held out his arms for the baby.

Brennan hesitated and Booth couldn't help but grin at her reluctance to let her child go.

"You can still stare at him, I promise." Booth winked playfully at her.

Brennan blushed and handed the baby over to her partner.

"See? That wasn't so hard." Booth said, continuing his teasing.

Brennan smiled, and Booth knew she was enjoying his light-hearted teasing. She leaned over and watched Booth cradle the baby in his arms.

"What now?" she asked him suddenly after a few moments of contented silence.

Booth looked up from the baby. Her question reminded him of one she had asked him just hours after giving birth. He hadn't really answered her then, she had been to exhausted and distracted by the new life in her arms that the topic had been dropped quickly. She had wanted to know what was to happen next in their life together. And he knew she was asking the same of him now.

"Nothing." Booth said quietly. "Nothing changes...and everything changes."

"That makes no logical sense," she responded.

"I know. Good isn't it?" He grinned.

"Booth," she warned.

Booth could see she was growing impatient with him.

"What do you want to happen next?" he asked her.

"I'm not sure. I want you to tell me," she stammered uncertainty written all over her face.

"You trust me right?" Booth asked, his tone softening noticing how vulnerable she suddenly looked.

"Booth!" She looked offended by the question.

"Then stop worrying about the future, huh?" He nudged her playfully.

His attempt to lighten her mood did not work and she frowned at him, her lips set in a straight line.

He had to choose his next words wisely.

"Bones, I know what you're afraid of. I'm not going anywhere," he said finally, watching her carefully. He knew what she feared.

She was quiet for several moments watching him closely, and Booth could see her contemplating his words.

"Okay." She nodded finally.

Booth nodded relieved that she seemed satisfied with his answer. At least for now.

"So...may I hold him again?" Brennan asked him after another few moments.

"But Bones....you carried him inside you for nine months, it's my turn!" Booth pouted playfully.

"Yes, I carried him inside me for nine months which is why I feel very attached to him."

"Hey! I'm attached to him too!......Look, see, he has my finger!" Booth whispered excitedly.

"How did you get him to do that?" Brennan asked curiously, leaning in closer to Booth to get a better look.

"Just a little father son bonding, Bones."

"I don't think so...."

"Just let me have my moment." Booth winked at her.

"Okay, have your moment, but then it's my turn again."

"Okay, alright."

The baby opened his eyes, yawned at his parents, then closed his eyes again.

"Best yawn ever!" Booth declared wide-eyed with amazement. Brennan shifted closer to him cuddling into his shoulder and he automatically wrapped his arm around her and kissed her hair.

"I agree."

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	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

"Hi Daddy!"

"Hey Bub!" Booth scooped his eight year old son up in the air spinning him around while Parker squealed. It was Parker's first weekend stay with Brennan and himself since William's birth and Booth was thrilled at the prospect of having both of his children under the one roof, even if it was for only two nights.

"Seeley, he just ate." Rebecca frowned disapprovingly. She stood in the doorway of the apartment, hovering, looking unsure as to whether she should enter or not.

"Right. Yeah." Booth set his son down on his feet and turned to his ex-girlfriend. "You wanna come in, Bec?"

"Yeah, come in Mom!" Parker said, he took his mothers hand and dragged her into the apartment. "You can see my brother."

"Uh, sure." Rebecca exchanged awkward glances with Booth.

"Yeah, come in, Bec." Booth smiled reassuringly.

"Where is he, Daddy?" Parker asked excitedly. "Where is my brother?"

Booth smiled grateful that Parker loved being a big brother and took his role very seriously.

"Bones is just getting him all presentable, they will be out in a minute." Booth said, ruffling his son's hair, then he turned to Rebecca. "We had a little projectile vomiting incident." He chuckled.

"I remember what that was like." Rebecca nodded with a tight smile.

Booth gestured for Rebecca to sit down on the sofa while Parker stalked around the room picking up various weird looking trinkets Brennan had picked up during her travels, careful to avoid touching anything that appeared breakable.

"So...Bec, is this weird?" Booth sat beside Rebecca.

"You having another kid? No." Rebecca said shaking her head. "You donating your.." she lowered her voice, obviously for Parkers benefit, "...s_tuff_...to get your partner pregnant, yeah, little weird."

"Yeah, guess it was." Booth agreed, but he smiled to himself recalling that day in Sweets office when his partner had declared she wanted to have a baby, _his_ baby.

"And now you're playing happy family?"

"Hey, we're not playing around!" Booth said defensively, keeping his voice low so Parker wouldn't hear. "Bones and I are-"

"I just don't want you to be taken advantage of."

"Excuse me?"

"You have a big heart. Have you even considered that she may be using you?"

"Using me? For what?" Booth asked incredulous.

"It's obvious you have been in love with her for years-"

"Bec-"

"Don't deny it Seeley," she interrupted him again. "All I am saying is- look at the facts. _She_ asks you to father her child. _She_ asks you to move in with her and help raise the child. _She_ knows how desperate you are to have a family of your own and-"

"Enough! I can't believe..." Booth shook his head, standing up angrily. "You don't have any right to make assumptions about-"

"Fine. Answer me this then...are you sleeping with her?"

"That is none of your...she just had a kid! Of course we're not...at the moment." Booth said, his face growing hot. With anger or embarrassment he wasn't sure which.

"You've been living with her for almost six months." Rebecca stood also, and the two faced off.

"She was pregnant! We were..._we are_...taking things slow. This is really none of your-"

"Bones!" Parker exclaimed suddenly, interrupting the adults hushed conversation, he ran across the room to Brennan's side. She stood at the edge of the room, the baby in her arms. She glanced awkwardly from Booth to Rebecca and back to Booth.

"Hi Parker," she said absently, her eyes focused on Booth. She knew she had interrupted something. "What's going on?" She smiled nervously.

"Nothing," Booth said quickly, moving to her side, he wondered if she had heard anything. "We were just dis-"

"Mom wants to see William." Parker interrupted impatiently oblivious to the tension in the room. He took Brennan's free hand and tugged her over to his mother.

"Oh, okay," Brennan said.

"Parker insisted I meet him." Rebecca said, a forced smile appearing on her face.

"Of course." Brennan stood in front of her partner's ex-lover, the two women eyed each other for a moment, the baby yawning between them. "Would you like to hold him? Everybody does." Brennan offered the child out for Rebecca to take.

"Oh, that's okay-"

"Hold him, Mom." Parker encouraged his mother.

"Okay, um, sure."

Brennan carefully transferred the child into Rebecca's arms.

"I forgot how little they were." Rebecca smiled after a moment, her expression softening. "He's adorable...he...actually looks a lot like you, Seeley."

"Really?" Booth said pleased, his anger momentarily forgotten. "Because I think he looks like Bones." He beamed at Brennan.

"I should go." Rebecca quickly passed the child off to Booth. "Parker you be good for Daddy and Temperance, okay? I will see you on Sunday."

"Okay." Parker nodded, allowing his mother to kiss his forehead. "Bye Mom."

"I will see you out." Brennan moved to follow Rebecca to the front door.

"Sure, okay. Bye Seeley." Rebecca called over her shoulder.

"See ya, Bec."

"So...how are you adjusting to motherhood?" Rebecca asked Brennan as the two women made their way to the front door.

"I admit it is more challenging than I originally thought, but I am enjoying the challenge."

"At least you have Seeley to help out."

"Yes, he is a wonderful father." Brennan nodded.

"Yes, I know," Rebecca said shortly.

"Of course." Brennan nodded again. "Parker is a wonderful child." She felt uncomfortable, but not sure why she should. She knew she had interrupted something intense. She was getting better at reading people and the look on Booth's face had told her that he was upset.

"I'm sure your little boy will be too."

"Thank you." Brennan held the door open for Rebecca.

"Well, I will see you next time." Rebecca slung her handbag over her shoulder. "You have a little..." she pointed to Brennan's shirt.

"Oh." Brennan grimaced at the large spew stain just below her right shoulder. She looked back up to thank Rebecca but she was gone.

****BB****

"What is he yelling about?" Parker stood in the middle of the living room, he glared up at his father who held a screaming William in his arms.

"Babies cry, son, that's what they do." Booth said calmly as he bounced the baby lightly.

"I don't like it," Parker grumbled.

"Neither do I Kiddo. Why don't you go back into your room and I will be in as soon as Bones gets out of the shower to read you a story?"

"I'm too big for stories."

"Since when?"

"Since _now_!" Parker said. "And I don't like that room. It's too small and smells funny. How come _he_ gets a bigger room than me?" He glared at the crying baby.

Booth sighed inwardly. His sweet eight year old had turned into a monster over the course of the afternoon.

A trip to the local park had turned into a three-ring circus with all the baby accessories Bones had insisted on bringing 'just in case'. Parker threw a tantrum when Booth had denied him a second ice cream cone, and William decided to join in with the tantrum throwing and cried for forty minutes straight. Booth then caught two teenage boys gawking at his partner when she proceeded to breastfeed their son. Parker stopped his tantrum long enough to ask Brennan a slew of questions about breastfeeding which embarrassed the crap out of Booth with her candid answers.

After Booth got stung by a bee, he decided it was time to go home.

Dinner was leftovers much to Parker's disgust. Booth had put him to bed two hours ago but he refused to go to sleep, this being his third trip out of bed.

"Park, the only reason William has the bigger room because it's closer to Bones in case he needs her during the night." Booth explained with as much patience as he could muster as Will's cries amplified.

"What if I need you or Bones during the night?"

"Huh?" Booth could barely hear over the crying.

"You better get Bones, I don't think he likes you!" Parker yelled.

"Shh..! Hey...he likes me, dontcha little man?" Booth baby talked. William stopped crying a moment to watch his father, "Yeah, see you like your daddy, good boy." he said in a soothing tone as William finally began to settle.

Parker frowned and silently left the room passing a freshly showered Brennan on the way to his bedroom.

"'Night Parker." Brennan ruffled his hair fondly.

"Night, Bones." he answered, closing his bedroom door, with a little more force than necessary, after him.

****B&B****

"He is so happy in the morning." Booth commented at his smiling infant son that lay in the bed between himself and his partner.

"I know." Brennan smiled down at her son. "I'm not sure why though, he did not get an adequate nights sleep."

"What fun would that be? He likes to keep his mommy and daddy on their toes." Booth scooped his son up. "Dontcha little buddy?" He said softly to William who watched him curiously.

"Look, Bones, he is making that face again...the same face you make when you are staring at a huge pile of bones. Your squint face."

Brennan leaned in closer to Booth to take a look at her son's expression.

"That's his pooping face, Booth," she informed him. "And I have never made that face!" she added, looking offended.

"Oh, yeah, I can see that now...totally different facial expressions." Booth backtracked hiding a smile.

"I don't think Rebecca likes me," Brennan said suddenly. "You never did tell me you two were discussing yesterday. I didn't hear what either of you were saying but I know it was about me."

Booth sighed. "She just doesn't understand our situation."

"She doesn't approve of me."

"She doesn't have to approve of you. I approve of you. Parker approves of you." He held William up so he was face to face with Brennan. "Will definitely approves of you," he said playfully.

The baby cooed softly and Brennan couldn't help but smile. She took Will into her arms snuggling him to her.

"See Bones? That's all that matters. Forget Rebecca. And anyone else for that matter."

"Okay, Booth, you made your point." Brennan kissed the top of the baby's head.

"Now, how about breakfast at the diner?" Booth slipped out of bed, clad only in his boxers.

"Hmm." Brennan said absently, her eyes focused on her partner's bare torso.

"Bones...?"

"Breakfast. Yes." She smiled, their eyes meeting, hers still a little glazed over.

He grinned down at her, pleased with her blatant ogling of his body. "I'll go wake Parker up."

She nodded watching him leave the room, sighing appreciatively at his retreating form.


End file.
